Format Tabloid Founded 1909 | Editor-in-chief Ramunė Lapas Language Lithuanian | |
 | ||
Type currently thrice-weekly newspaper Publisher Lithuanian Catholic Press Society | ||
Draugas (English: Friend) is the only Lithuanian daily newspaper published abroad. Until 2011, the newspaper was published five days a week, except Sundays and Mondays. It is currently published three days a week, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It is read not only in the United States, but in Canada, South America, Australia, and Europe as well.
Contents
History
Draugas is the oldest continuously published Lithuanian language newspaper anywhere in the world.
Founded as a weekly Roman Catholic paper, Draugas published its first edition on July 25, 1909, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. On March 31, 1916, it was relocated to Chicago, Illinois, and since then has been published daily, except Mondays and Sundays, until 2011 when publication was reduced to three days per week. Its current building is owned by the Marian Fathers (Lith.: Marijonų vienuoliai).
During the Soviet occupation of Lithuania up to now, the newspaper was and still remains the backbone of the Lithuanian diaspora.
Currently, Draugas is published by the Lithuanian Catholic Press Society in Chicago, Illinois. Draugas contains twelve pages of news and public interest articles on political, religious, cultural, social, economic, sports, and other public interest themes, often on Lithuanian-related topics, and announcements, and paid advertising. The Tuesday issue is twelve pages, the Thursday issue is sixteen pages, and the Saturday issue is twenty-four pages, which includes a weekly eight-page supplement Kultūra meaning Culture and subtitled Menas Literatūra Mokslas meaning Art Literature Science.
Numerous Lithuanian books are also available from Draugas. Draugas used to print in-house at its headquarters, but now outsources printing.
Draugas celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009. In November 2013, the publisher of Draugas also started publishing Draugas News, a monthly newspaper on Lithuanian topics written in the English language which is available by separate subscription.
Staff
Such prominent Lithuanian émigré writers and public figures as Aloyzas Baronas, Kazys Bradūnas, Česlovas Grincevičius, Bronius Kviklys, Rev. Vaclovas Bagdanavičius, Aušrelė Liulevičienė, Kazys Pakštas, Rev. Juozas Prunskis, Leonardas Šimutis, and others worked on the editorial staff.
The current chief editor of the newspaper is Ramunė Lapas. The coordinator of the Saturday Kultūra supplement is Renata Šerelytė. The layout artist is Jonas Kuprys. The coordinator of Draugas News is Vida Kuprytė.